Food Finders Inc   

In April of 1989, Arlene Mercer, founder of Food Finders, witnessed a banquet manager throwing out perfectly good food in an alley trash bin while blocks away a homeless person scavenged for food in a similar dumpster. Her frustration in wanting to help while also being aware of the incredible amount of waste that must be prevalent sparked the idea that brought Food Finders into existence. She began by contacting food vendors and restaurants nearby to inquire about donating food overages, and then partnered with local agencies and missions to redistribute the donated food. Food Finders received its nonprofit status in 1990. This marked the beginning of Food Finders' Food Rescue Program to feed the hungry. Food Finders now works with the Los Angeles Produce Mart as well as 450+ other food vendors, providing millions of pounds of fresh produce and perishable food items to more than 400 nonprofit agencies. Food Finders coordinates approximately 250 weekly food delivery routes with the help of 3 staff drivers and 150 regular volunteers. Most agencies receive food daily, some weekly and a few less often, depending on the agency’s size and needs as the food is available. Our volunteers cover routes seven days a week, and our staff drivers transport food 5 days a week. The uniqueness of Food Finders’ program is that we do not warehouse our food -- we pickup and deliver on the same day to ensure the freshest, most nutritional value.